Trade policy activity is quieting down somewhat in Brussels ahead of the usual summer lull. Here nonetheless some interesting trade policy highlights for you. Iana Dreyer and Nikos Lavranos.
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Post-pandemic EU trade policy: an integrated agenda emerges
July is the traditional time to take stock of EU trade policy, August usually being a more reliable and lengthy pause than the end of the year. The European Commission’s initially rather low-key trade agenda in the first semester of 2021 has become far more interesting and fast-moving. This is …
Week Ahead: WTO, Northern Ireland
Good morning from Iana Dreyer and Chris Horseman.
Week in Brussels: Merkel DC, Ukraine raw materials partnership, review of a TSD action plan
There’s been a lot of big news in trade in Europe this week. Here a few more news items to take away before the week-end. By Rob Francis and Iana Dreyer.
Perspectives: Let’s carefully embrace ‘conditional’ trade
The European Union and United Kingdom are among those actively reconsidering the traditional links between trade policy and broader public policy objectives such as tackling climate change. While not without risks, conditioning access to one’s market on a trading partner addressing such global challenges seems the best way forward to …
Angus MacNeil: United Kingdom lacks a trade policy strategy
Angus Brendan MacNeil, chair of the House of Commons’ international trade committee, chats with Chris Horseman about scrutinising trade deals, assessing their economic value, and creating new trade borders between England and Scotland. ***
James Bacchus: The WTO simply must prove that it can do something, not just talk
James Bacchus spoke with Rob Francis about the European Union’s carbon border adjustment mechanism, trade in medicines and medical products, how the Biden Administration is progressing on trade policy – and the World Trade Organization in all this.
Week Ahead: WTO fish ministerial, CBAM, INTA
There are three main items to watch out for this week. By Chris Horseman, Rob Francis and Iana Dreyer.
Week in Brussels: ASEAN, Switzerland, Industrialists on China, FTA domestic advisory groups
Brussels in rushing to wrap up or move specific trade file to the next level before the summer break which begins late July. EU ASEAN to meet in Q3 to discuss region to region FTA ‘parameters’ Well, nothing came out of it apart from good intentions. The EU and ASEAN …
Perspectives: Continued fragmentation of global e-commerce rules – cause for panic?
The growing importance of e-commerce has not been well reflected in trade policy instruments. While there are many initiatives ongoing, a global rule-book seems likely to remain elusive for some time. As e-commerce continues to grow this may not be such a big problem as it appears.
